The Problem

I was contacted by one of the partners Spirit Wares to help them solve a problem marketing a new line of plates. The collection is beautiful, with unique unfinished sandy edges and thick bright white glaze.

Spirit Wares plate collections immediately evoke images of nature: blue water, silvery ice, mottled quail egg. The colours and textures are bold and recognizable. This is part of their brand identity. It sets Spirit Wares apart from other plate manufacturers, giving modern chefs inspiration with an original and natural canvas to work from.

But these particular plates are….WHITE… Although they are beautiful, their identity and how they fit into the Spirit Wares collection is not so easy to divine. The original name “Glazed White Marble” was not making an impression and sales were weak.

I was tasked with coming up with a new identity for the collection.

Here are a few examples of the plates:

The Solution

When I got a chance to see them in person, their appeal was immediate. I saw something in them; I recognized them, especially on the edges where sandy raw stone meets the bright white glaze. This image is a perfect example:

Marketing these plates successfully required making a connection between their design and nature.

Over the last few years I had been thinking about traveling to Hokkaido in winter. I wanted to experience one of the snowiest places on earth. I remembered seeing a few images of Japanese coastlines in winter that reminded me of the plate edges that I was looking at now. Here are a couple of the images below:

I thought that naming the collection with an easy association (“snow and sand” for example) was not very interesting. Instead, naming it after a place where this unusual natural phenomenon happens was far more appealing. The idea of naming it the “Hokkaido Collection” came from here.

The name “Hokkaido” sparks curiosity and gives personality to this snowy sandy plate collection that would otherwise get lost among its more colourful and easily recognizable competitors. A bump in sales after the renaming seems to back this up.

You can see all the collections at Spirit Wares

Let’s Go!

Many years ago I was invited by the Oysterlicious Group to work in Shanghai, China.

I had never traveled to Asia before and my first question was: “WHY? Why would I want to leave my home? Why would I want to go half way around the world to a place that I knew nothing about?” I couldn’t even speak the language.

But, after some time, my thoughts changed to: “actually…WHY NOT? Here I am with an offer of a free flight, accommodation and a job in a place that I would probably never think to visit on my own. This is an opportunity, not a problem”.

So began an adventure that would open doors to an exciting future. I packed my bags and set off on a journey that would change my life forever, a journey that has still not come to an end.

The beauty of Shanghai

Before coming to work in China, it seemed like a mysterious place, an unknowable place, maybe an unwelcoming place. But, from the moment I stepped off the plane, I was greeted with kindness and hospitality. I witnessed the beauty of natural landscape blending with space age architecture, ancient culture alongside ultra modern technology. Everywhere I looked there was something new and exciting to experience. Sights, sounds, smells and tastes that were exotic and irresistible. I was hooked on day one.

Work and Play in Shanghai

I was tasked with training a crew of young Chinese cooks. An exclusive oyster bar and restaurant in Shanghai would be my new workplace. At first, I was anxious about teaching them, especially since we didn’t speak the same language. But, my worries were short lived. These men were dedicated and hard working. They were eager to learn anything I was willing to teach them. With the help of our smart phones and sign language, communication became easy. We taught each other food words in Chinese and English and soon language was no longer an issue.

Outside of the kitchen, I was able to share time with the cooks and Oysterlicious hosts, eating and exploring Shanghai. China is a country where social connections are the greatest currency and it is not difficult to make friends over a good meal.

My kitchen mates often took me out to eat and drink at their favourite local places. These were real Anthony Bourdain style food adventures, memories I still hold dear many years later.

As a foreign professional, I was also sought after to promote oyster culture in Chinese media. I was a minor celebrity overnight!

Travel time in China

Being a cook is hard work anywhere in the world and China is no exception. But, it wasn’t all sweating and grinding away. There were also opportunities to relax and travel. The beauty, mystery and cultural richness of China went beyond all my expectations. And the Chinese people I was lucky to meet always treated me with kindness and patience.

This fateful trip was the start of a long and deep relationship with Asian culture. I have traveled back to China may times to see the friends I made on this first journey and I have traveled to Japan and Korea as well. Without the initial offer and encouragement I received from the Oysterlicious Group, I would never have had the opportunity to enrich my life in such a profound way.

Why go to China?? The reasons are endless. Better to ask: “Why not?” And then pack your bags.

Check out the Oysterlicious Instagram for more information.